The 50-year-old former sanitation employee, who has complained about mass burial of our bodies in Dharmasthala. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
SIT sources mentioned he has been arrested for perjury. The complainant, whereas giving voluntary assertion on oath earlier than Justice of the Peace in Belthangady on July 11, had produced the cranium and some bones, who he claimed had been that of a lady who was sexually assaulted.
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However, the forensic stories of the cranium and bones secured by the SIT confirmed that skeletal stays was that of a male and so the complainant has been booked for perjury, the SIT sources mentioned.
The SIT arrested the complainant on Saturday (August 23, 2025) morning and might be produced earlier than a jurisdictional courtroom in Belthangady. The safety given to the complainant was withdrawn on Friday (August 22, 2025) evening.
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The SIT workforce enquired the complainant since Friday (August 23, 2025) morning. This enquiry preceded the questioning of different staff who had labored with the complainant within the interval between 1995 and 2014.
The SIT had additionally questioned healthcare personnel, together with Head of Department of Forensic Science, Ok.S. Hegde Medical College, Mahabalesh Shetty, who had carried out post-mortem of round 70 decomposed our bodies within the interval and buried within the presence of police in Banglagudde space of Dharmasthala.
It was on July 2 that the complainant, from Kollegal, filed the grievance saying that over 100 our bodies, together with these of sexual assault and homicide victims, had been buried by him underneath stress of ‘highly effective individuals’ within the interval.
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On July 11, he appeared earlier than the Justice of the Peace courtroom whereby his voluntary assertion underneath Section 183 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) was recorded. The Dharmasthala police seized the skeletal stays and utilized to the courtroom for mind mapping, narco evaluation of the complainant.
Meanwhile, the State authorities on July 19 fashioned SIT headed by Director General of Police Pronab Mohanty to investigate the allegations. The SIT excavated 17 websites in Banglagudde, close to Bahubali Gudda, and few different locations. Excavation was performed at web site no.13 close to a vented dam utilizing floor penetrating radar the place complainant had claimed of burying extra our bodies. Partial skeletal stays of a male had been present in web site no. 6. Skeletal stays of a male, who was suspected of suicide, was discovered above the bottom close to web site no.14.
Published – August 23, 2025 11:27 am IST
